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The Silk Roads

Peter Frankopan

HistoryEconomics & FinancePolitics & Society
Publish date
2015
Publisher
Bolinda/Audible audio
Description
Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads surveys world history from antiquity to the modern era through the lens of the trade networks connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The book reassesses traditional Eurocentric narratives by arguing that the Eurasian crossroads historically functioned as the primary center of global trade, religion, culture, and political power. It is intended for general readers and history enthusiasts interested in a broader, non-Western framework for understanding international relations and global development.
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Books cited in The Silk Roads

Suggested by AI, not verified against the full text. Check the original book before using them as a source.

  1. The Great Divergence

    Kenneth Pomeranz

    Citation

    Informs the comparative economic debate regarding Western Europe's eventual overtaking of Asia.

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  2. The Venture of Islam

    Marshall G. S. Hodgson

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    Framing work highlighting the Afro-Eurasian centrality of Islamic civilization.

    High relevanceExplore

  3. The Travels

    Marco Polo

    Citation

    Primary narrative of European engagement with Kublai Khan and trans-Eurasian trade networks.

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  4. The Secret History of the Mongols

    Anonymous

    Citation

    Crucial contemporary chronicle detailing the rise of Genghis Khan and Eurasian unification.

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  5. The Histories

    Herodotus

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    Provides foundational classical accounts of Persian, Scythian, and Mediterranean geopolitical intersections.

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  6. The Silk Road: A New History

    Valerie Hansen

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    Examines archaeological evidence detailing localized oasis commerce along ancient northern routes.

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  7. Empires of the Silk Road

    Christopher I. Beckwith

    Citation

    Establishes Central Eurasia as the central engine of continental trade and culture.

    High relevanceExplore

  8. The Great Game

    Peter Hopkirk

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    Chronicles nineteenth-century British and Russian imperial rivalries across Central Asia.

    Medium relevanceExplore

  9. The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean

    Raoul McLaughlin

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    Details ancient maritime and overland commerce connecting Rome, India, and China.

    Medium relevanceExplore

  10. The Muqaddimah

    Ibn Khaldun

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    Classic historical treatise on dynastic cycles and nomadic versus sedentary societies.

    Medium relevanceExplore

  11. History of the Persian Empire

    A. T. Olmstead

    Citation

    Presents core historical evidence for the administrative and commercial reach of Achaemenid Persia.

    Medium relevanceExplore

  12. Guns, Germs, and Steel

    Jared Diamond

    Citation

    Referenced in evaluating environmental determinism and global trajectories of civilizational development.

    Medium relevanceExplore

There may be more citations. We show up to 12 per book to keep the list manageable.

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    Illuminates Central Asia's flourishing intellectual and scientific achievements before European ascendancy.

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